McAnulty’s Mission

The College prepares students for productive and creative lives of service in a rapidly changing world. We teach students to think, write and speak clearly and critically, so they can seek truth about God, themselves, and society, and contribute to their families, communities, businesses and professions.

Here are a few places to set up camp in the next weeks when your trying to cram or write a final paper:

Library– This is the obvious study spot, but it can resemble a war-zone during finals. If you plan to brave the library crowd, find some friends to share a table with, get there early to claim your spot, and please KEEP QUIET!

Study rooms in the dorms– Most of the dorms on campus having study rooms, at least my freshman floor in St. Martin did. These rooms are a good alternative to the library, and have enough plugs, tables and study carols.

Empty classrooms– If a class isn’t using it, take advantage of the desks and the quiet!

Union Ballroom on April 29 and 30: Tau Kappa Epsilon is opening the 4th Floor Union Ballroom for more study area on April 29th and 30th. The Ballroom is open from 6 PM until 2AM, and coffee and cookies will be provided, thanks to Aramark.

Your room/apartment/house– If you have enough willpower to avoid napping in your bed, wasting time on Facebook, or just plopping on the couch and watching tv, your own room/apartment/house is a good, private place to study. Just make the extra effort to stay focused.

Off campus Panera or Starbucks– When trying to manage the stress of school and finals, sometimes getting off campus is a welcome break. Find a local coffee shop and use the WiFi and tables to get some studying done. Sometimes a change of venue is all you need to get refocused!

There are about 4 weeks left of school and I’ve been thinking a lot about what I will miss about Duq. Here are my top 10.

10. Starbucks. Ok, I know there are about a million other Starbucks in the world, but Duquesne’s Starbucks is just so convenient and perfect for keeping me awake during night classes! Even when the line is literally out the door, you can always have your drink and be at your next class in a speedy 10 minutes.

9. The computers in the library. I’ll miss them so much I’m thinking about changing my laptop’s homepage to the Gumberg website. But seriously they are super convenient for checking the weather or e-mail quickly between classes.

8. The views. Whether it’s the city-view apartments in Brottier or the cityscape out the skywalk windows, the views from campus are priceless.

7. The constant bake sales in the Union. Buying a cookie that I really don’t need is easily justified when the money is going to Haiti or some sorority service project.

6. The eco-toilets in the Union. They make me feel like I’m being “green.”

5. Walking on campus. Seriously, where else in the world can you just walking right in front of cars?

4. The Power Center gym. It’s convenient, clean and free! (or should I say included in our tuition.) From now on, I’ll have to buy a gym membership and hope it’s as nice as the Power Center. Plus, it’s the only gym with such a nice view of Forbes Garage 😉

3. This blog. It’s given me a space to write my thoughts, feelings, rants and advice. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it for the past two years!

2. The brownies with icing at Offramp. If you haven’t had one, go buy one right now.

1. The people. That includes my friends, professors, people I’ve worked in groups with and the nice people who check you out at Options. When I forget my Stats (I think I already have) and no longer recall my Multipass password off by heart, these are the people who I will remember!

Fall is really here. The cold weather this week has been so shocking that I’ve been dressing like its January. Today I am donning a hoodie, jacket, my morning hot tea, warm shoes, and an umbrella. I find the Starbucks right in the middle of campus much more difficult to resist when it’s cold out! Some people love Pittsburgh because we experience all four seasons here, but I’d be much happier if we only had two: spring and summer.

Although I clearly hate the cold, I do have a few favorite things on campus to do during those horribly chilly months. Like I mentioned before, the Starbucks is a lifesaver. I can barely go a day without a hot chocolate or warm drink. I also appreciate the warm food from the grill down at Offramp much more when it’s cold out. There’s nothing better than a warm sandwich during a cold day! I also utilize the Power Center gym and group fitness classes much more during the winter. My favorites are the Yoga and PiYo classes. (Here is the schedule)

As you’ve probably already noticed on a chilly day like today, fashion generally takes a backseat on cold days, especially when we get into the winter months! Because students have to walk outside between every single class, no one will look twice if you’re dressed in a warm Duquesne hoodie and furry boots.